This invention relates to an apparatus useful for lifting a human being. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus useful to lift an incapacitated human being, e.g., hospital patient, from a surface, e.g., bed, operating table and the like.
Incapacitated human beings, e.g., hospital patients, cause many problems, e.g., for hospital attendants. For example, it is difficult to replace bed linen when the patient is not able to get out of bed. Another instance, involves moving an unconscious surgery patient from the operating room back to his or her own quarters. In these and other situations, it is important that the patient be handled as little as possible and be treated with great gentleness.
Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus useful for lifting a human being from a surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus useful for lowering a human being to a surface. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent hereinafter.
An improved apparatus useful for lifting (or lowering) a human being from (or to) a surface has now been discovered. The present apparatus comprises a stretcher means adapted to be placed between the human being, e.g., hospital patient, and the surface, e.g., hospital bed, operating table and the like. The stretcher means has substantially mutually opposing first and second side ends and is capable of supporting the human being. A first motive means is included and is associated with the first side end of the stretcher means. This first motive means is capable of lifting or lowering the first side end, as desired. Also included is a second motive means which is removably associated with the second side end of the stretcher means. This second motive means is capable of lifting or lowering the second side end, as desired. In addition, the first and second motive means are structured to be capable of independent operation.
The present apparatus provides substantial benefits. Incapacitated patients can be lifted from hospital beds easily, effectively and reliably with a minimum of human contact.
In one preferred embodiment, the present apparatus further comprises a frame means associated with the stretcher means and the first and second motive means. This frame means acts to support the stretcher means and the two motive means. In this embodiment the present apparatus is conveniently a reasonably compact, efficiently structured unit. In a further preferred embodiment, the frame means is portable, for example, by placing the frame means on wheels and the like. This further embodiment gives the present apparatus substantial flexibility. For example, the apparatus can be moved from bed to bed, as needed, to lift and lower a number of patients in turn a their individual bed linen is changed. Also, this portability feature allows the present apparatus to be used to trnasport a surgery patient from the operating room to his or her own quarters and then conveniently and carefully placed on his or her own hospital bed for further recovery.
In another perferred embodiment, the first and second motive means act automatically to lift or lower the first and second side ends, respectively, of the stretcher means, as desired. The term "automatically" as used herein means that the lifting or lowering of the side ends of the stretcher means is done by a force other than manual labor. Of course, both first and second motive means are capable of being controlled by human beings. However, this "automatic" feature of the present invention improves the ease with which the apparatus can be used.
In one more preferred embodiment, each of the first and second motive means involves an electric motor and a plurality of cables (still more preferably, each of the motive means involves three such cables) associated with both the electric motor and the stretcher means. The independent operation of each of the electric motors causes movement in the cables and, in turn the lifting or lowering of the appropriate side end of the stretcher means, as desired. The use of electric motors is a particularly advantageous means of achieving automatic lifting or lowering of the first and second side ends of the stretcher means.
In an additional preferred embodiment, the present apparatus further comprises first and second governor means associated with the first and second motive means, respectively. These first and second governor means act to limit the distance, in which the first and second side ends, respectively, of the stretcher means are moveable, e.g., liftable or lowerable. In one particularly preferred embodiment, where each of the motive means comprise an electric motor, each of the governor means includes a upper and a lower switch and a contact block on one of the cables comprising the appropriate motive means. The upper and lower switches act to deactivate the appropriate electric motor in response to the contact block activating either the appropriate upper or lower switch, thereby causing the movement of the appropriate side end of the stretcher means to stop.
As noted previously, the second side end of the stretcher means is removably associated with the second motive means. One preferred means of providing this removable association is to provide each of the cables of the second motive means with a ring or hook element and to provide a corresponding number of hook or ring elements at or near the second end of the stretcher means. The ring or hook elements on the cables are capable of being removably associated with the corresponding hook or ring elements at or near the second side end of the stretcher means.
In an additional preferred embodiment, the first and second motive means further include first and second pulley systems, respectively. These first and second pulley systems act to direct the movement of the cables of the first and second motive means, respectively, to, for example, promote the ease of lifting and lowering the stretcher means.
These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the following detailed description, particularly when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts bear like reference numerals.